mosquitos!!

It has rained non stop in texas and now mosquitos non stop!! my husband never gets bit but i get welts no matter how much i spray, wear longer clothes (not easy in 90+ weather) etc. I called the city and they are not spraying my area but said to try and keep shady areas with longer grasses short and cleared. i am trying to find an alternative to spraying the yard but if someone knows of a good spray for the yard or a body spray that works i would be happy to hear about it--also-is there a "green" alternative? i was wondering if cayanne pepper would work if sprinkled over the area--sounds a little odd but i am getting desparate!!

Have you tried citronella? Candles or plants? Or anything lemon scented works, I THINK...

This message was edited Jul 17, 2007 6:48 PM

The only way I know to reduce your problem, if pos, is to make sure you have no wet or stagnent water areas close by, keep all the grass etc as short as you can go so that the soil can dry out a bit, and where you have trees and shrubs, add some tall citronella canddles if you are outdoors in these areas, I would ask the neighbours what they do to keep these pests at bay, but to be honest, there aint much, deffinately spray to stop the larvi from developeing as this is just the breading cycle that you really dont want. Good luck, Weenel.

Okay, this may sound strange, but I live in Minnesota where some people claim mosquitoes are the state bird. I used to get bit and then get just awful reactions. That was until I started taking a general vitamin B supplement. After that the little pests liked me a lot less and their bites weren't nearly so awful either.

thank you all for your ideas--i sprayed last night--i will also try the vitamin B since it seems maybe i am low in that and so they go after me!! my friend and i both sprayed my yard and i was bitten and she of course was not!!

I think I read somewhere on the posts that someone gets some sort of garlic spray and its suppose to repel them for a few months...I"ll see if I can find it.

Kristie

http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/index.html

There, I think that's it....

This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 2:24 PM

I have found eating fresh garlic helps tremendously. I've also heard marigolds repel them. Good Luck.

I'd be careful of wishing for widespread spraying by your local government, as this kills mosquito predators more than mosquitos, so the problem gets worse (besides being bad for human and ecological health). You should also avoid any kind of bug zapper for the same reason. A couple other suggestions to consider. First, make sure your gutters are clean and draining properly, as this can be a problem breeding site. Next, take a stroll around your neighborhood and look for anything that might be holding water. Work with your neighbors to eliminate these. Third, if you plan to be sitting outside, try a fan. Mosquitos are lousy fliers, and aren't out when it's windy, so make your own wind. This will work much better than candles.

Ironically, a water feature in your garden can improve your situation by attracting mosquito predators. If you include a fountain, your will make it inhospitable to mosquito larva which require still water. Add a flat rock in a sunny spot next to the water, and some tall plants or other things that serve as perches. These can attract dragonflies, which are probably the single best mosquito predator.

Unfortunately, some of us are just too attractive to the little buggers and react too strongly to their bites, and no prevention measures will fully work. Besides trying some repellents, I've found benedryl cream to help relieve some of the itch.

Try cedar oil. You can find it at a garden center. It will not hurt animals or plants. You just need a spray bottle and water. I've used it in my yard for years and give my 2 labs a bath with a small amount in the water.